William A. Weaver

William A 'Bill' Weaver
December 6, 1928 - July 28, 2021
San Diego
Bill's flying experiences began after graduation from the Naval Academy in 1951 when he was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force. He was deployed to Kaegu, Korea in 1952 where he flew 89 missions in the F-89 Scorpion and F-86 Sabre. After flying Lockheed airplanes (T-33's and F-94c's) and meeting his hero, Lockheed's legendary test pilot Tony Levier, he accepted an opportunity to join the company in 1956. During the 30 years that followed, he was fortunate enough to be involved with some of the products of Kelly Johnson's genius. These included flying all of the models of the F-104, the world's first operational Mach 2 fighter, from the XF-104 to the advanced F-104S for the Italian Air Force. In 1964 he joined the Skunk Works as an engineering test pilot and was introduced to the Blackbird family, flying the A-12, YF-12 and SR-71. In addition to engineering test flights on those aircraft, he performed SR-71 Production/Acceptance tests out of ADP's Site 2 facility in Palmdale, CA. where he flew flights on 21 of the 31 SR's built. In 1970 he was transferred to Lockheed's L-1011 project as an engineering test pilot. Although not thrilled with the prospect of flying a large transport airplane at the opposite end of the performance spectrum from the Mach 2 and Mach 3+ airplanes he had been flying, it turned out to be a fortuitous move from a career standpoint. He flew on flight no. 4 of the first L-1011 (SN 1001), and continued as primary pilot on the airplane through its last flight (flight no. 1841) in August 1986. He retired from Lockheed as Division Manager of Commercial Flying Operations in 1986, but still involved with the L-1011. He was responsible for flight crew and support of Orbital Sciences Corporation's L-1011 aircraft which were modified to carry a rocket powered satellite launch vehicle ("Pegasus"). Forty plus satellite missions have been conducted worldwide, since 1994, mostly launched out of Kwajalein atoll in the Marshall Islands. His last mission as captain was at age 85! He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Jeanne Weaver, his daughter Chris Hadden and sons, Scott Weaver and Greg Weaver. Also, his extended family of Mike Jensen, Doug Jensen, Cathy Morrison, Dan Clary, Kathy Powell, Ted Reilly, Jon Reilly and a host of spouses, grand and great grandchildren.